Chroming quotation

Paul Henley

Club Member
Hi All, I just received a quotation for getting my 240z rear bumper re-chromed. I was quoted £180 for each end corner piece and £250 for the centre piece so a total of £610 all in. The middle section is new and corners are second hand with some pitting (no damage anywhere). Having no experience of ever having had any chrome work done I was looking for comments and if this sounds about right at the going rate. The work is triple pate with 12 months guarantee. Anyone had a bumper done recently?
Thanks
Paul
 

Ian

Club Member
Sounds about right to me assuming the pitting on the corners would take some time to get flat.



To chrome a fibreglass front bumper it was going to cost me £850, now thats FRP chroming so more work and time to do than metal but at least its cheaper than that.

Would be good to see what prices others have been charged for chroming a single bumper because if its going to cost me £600+ to chrome a metal one which I would have to find somewhere to start with I might be as well just buying the FRP one and having that chromed as it will save a bit of weight over the metal one.
 

Rob Gaskin

Treasurer
Staff member
Site Administrator
Both those quotes sound very expensive to me.

At Race retro I was quoted £250 (if my memory serves me well) for a front bumper.
 

uk66fastback

Club Member
A rough rule of thumb I was told about 5-6 years ago was £50 a foot. Plus extra £££ for extra work sorting out the pitting. Prices may have gone up a bit since then, but you quote does sound expensive.

Please don’t go to Ashford Chroming btw, I had a VERY bad experience granted this was about 2012 ...
 

Paul Henley

Club Member
Hi Franky, I have no experience of chroming but a lot of research suggests that if I only re-chrome the corners, the middle section will stand out like a sore thumb with the original Nissan chroming standard. Would love to be convinced its not required..

Rob, can you remember which company gave you the quote at Race Retro?
 

Ian

Club Member
Both those quotes sound very expensive to me.
The FRP chroming will always be expensive, so few places do it and before it even gets the nickel and chrome coating it needs several layers of conductive copper paint applied and sanded beetween each layer.




Anyone got recommendations for good platers?
 

Turn & Burn

Club Member
Paul, look at S H Metal finishing in Droylesden, Manchester. Comparable prices to yours tho. Chroming is time and labour intensive, esp if they have to do repairs to smooth the copper coat.
Cheers
 

TimW

Club Member
Hi Paul,

I visited the NEC Restoration Show last year and spoke to quite a few chromer's. They had examples on show and time to chat. Maybe worth a try if you can get to it. I was looking for vacuum metalising at the time, but seem to recal £160 + for bumper

https://www.necrestorationshow.com/

Cheers

Tim
 

Paul Henley

Club Member
Thanks for the advice guys, I contacted STCrome as suggested by Rob, they have given an initial quote based on the pics provided of £300 + VAT, so nearly half of my original quote. So at first glance this seems excellent news, then the mistrusting, suspicious voice whispers in my ear "you only get what you pay for" so now things are even more complicated between getting my pants pulled down and spanked for over paying for what others could equally do a lot cheaper or potentially getting a cheaper job done to save a few quid that I may regret later down the line. I've not scrimped on the job so far and don't mind paying the going rate just concerned about over paying for a job I could get done equally well else where....
 

Ian

Club Member
Thats the issue, you want to get top quality work and are willing to pay for it, but you don't want to get ripped off either. Thats why recommendations from someone you trust that has used a chromers they are happy with is best.
 
Thanks for the advice guys, I contacted STCrome as suggested by Rob, they have given an initial quote based on the pics provided of £300 + VAT, so nearly half of my original quote. So at first glance this seems excellent news, then the mistrusting, suspicious voice whispers in my ear "you only get what you pay for" so now things are even more complicated between getting my pants pulled down and spanked for over paying for what others could equally do a lot cheaper or potentially getting a cheaper job done to save a few quid that I may regret later down the line. I've not scrimped on the job so far and don't mind paying the going rate just concerned about over paying for a job I could get done equally well else where....

Is that with repairs? It'd be worth a go?
 

Paul Henley

Club Member
Thats the issue, you want to get top quality work and are willing to pay for it, but you don't want to get ripped off either. Thats why recommendations from someone you trust that has used a chromers they are happy with is best.
Agree Ian.
 

Paul Henley

Club Member
Is that with repairs? It'd be worth a go?
Hi Franky, there are no dents or significant rust, just a bit of pitting on the ends, but they did make it clear that any additional works/repairs would incur further cost.

"With regard to the items that you wish to have re-plated, as you can appreciate it is impossible to give a precise quote without seeing and handling the parts. So the best that we can do is give a starting guide price. The actual price will be dependent on a number of things such as the quality of the base metal, type of metal, any repairs which may need doing and other factors."

It does seem a very good price.
 

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Rob Gaskin

Treasurer
Staff member
Site Administrator
I think I'll try S&T and report back - I don't need a perfect job. I'll take 'before and after' pics (but not after 12 months). I'm in Bristol in a couple of weeks so can take my bumper and discuss.
 

Ian

Club Member
I would get the inside of those bumper blasted first to make sure all the rust is gone.
 
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